The Dutch royal family visit the exclusive ski resort of Lech in western Austria every year, having holidayed there since the late 1950s.

It is not the first accident to befall the royal family in Lech.

King Willem’s younger brother Friso died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident.

Friso was caught in an avalanche near Lech in February 2012 and buried for some 20 minutes under the snow, leaving the 44-year-old prince comatose and brain-damaged. He died in August 2013.

Alexia is the second daughter of the king and queen. Her 12-year-old sister Catharina-Amalia, the Princess of Orange, is the heir apparent to the Dutch throne. They have a younger sister, Princess Ariane, who is eight.